We, people in whom conscience hasn't died yet, are sure that any number of open letters to you on expressing outrage and anguish on the rape of a little girl in Kathua, Jammu & Kashmir, would not deter you from your inaction on the issue, but we must voice our concern lest history would count us among those who were complicit in that brutal act with our silence.
While J&K ministers from your party joined the protests in support of the alleged rapists, your own cabinet ministers at the centre followed your example with their silence. Spokespersons of your party, as well as your supporters, engaged in shameless acts of whataboutery in social media and outside.
However people who are conscientious have come together to express our collective sense of shame and anger on the unspeakable horror of that young girl being brutally raped and killed in Kathua. We are very much part of the ordinary citizenry of this country who are distressed and anguished about the crimes committed on the minorities and other vulnerable sections of the society including women and children.
As enshrined in the constitution of our great nation, one of the basic responsibilities of the government is to provide safety and protection to the people of the country. But we are afraid, the present dispensation under your leadership has failed miserably in providing it. To add to the tragedy, the state itself appears to be in connivance with the alleged perpetrators in concealing the evidence and in threatening the family of the victim and even the lawyers who fight her case.
The communal hate that resulted in this heinous crime has invariable stemmed from the invidious propaganda unleashed against the minorities by both the fringe and mainstream elements of the Sangh Parivar. That the vicious atmosphere of communal hate and bigotry has worsened in the country since you came to power in 2014 doesn’t put you in any favourable light nationally or internationally. The whole country knows that you are in supreme command of your government and your party. Hence it becomes all the more important for you to exercise your power - political and moral - to make sure that rabid elements of the Parivar are kept under check.
Obviously you have spoken against the crimes, but in the absence of political action to follow your words, it could only be construed as paying mere lip service. It is your ultimate responsibility to make sure that your government responds and acts resolutely not only to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice but also to thwart any further attempt that aims to destroy the social fabric of our nation.
We call upon you to bring justice to the little girl of Kathua by fast tracking the prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime. We also call upon you to do everything possible to make sure that the vulnerable sections of the society get protection for their life and liberty.
We hope that you will act decisively now, otherwise as a nation we would have failed not only that little girl of Kathua, but all the little angels around us who are India’s daughters.
Sincerely,
On behalf of many conscientious patriots,
A proud Indian
On behalf of many conscientious patriots,
A proud Indian
